Toying with the Puppet Strings
by JunsuiFushichou
Summary: Why does it feel like as though I've met the same person multiple times? I could feel the puppet strings called fate toying with me as I move around on this world...[NejiTen] [OOC]


Welcome! To this Neji/Tenten one shot! Hope you enjoy it! 

WARNING; IT HAS SONGS IN IT. BEWARE.

The end might not turn out how you wish! BEWARE.

It is told in Neji's point of view, just to let you know.

_JunsuiFushichou_

* * *

It's not easy being a guy who knows lots of different languages. To make it worse, a guy who knows lots of different language who sings. A guy who knows lots of different languages who sings that has been voted one of the top hottest guys on television. It's never easy, being famous. Famous in more than two different continents. Famous for singing solo and in a band and acting and around eight more different jobs. I hate that. I hate what I've done with myself. Hogging the spotlight. I wish I could disappear. Don't misjudge me; I'm not thinking of suicide. I just wish I could turn my life back, and live in a different style. 

Which is why I'm in this sleazy bar. _This _bar. No one bothers to listen to mixed languages anymore. Not to my thought. With smoke-a-holics and alcoholics. No one would find out who I am. A guy that sings different languages, who's so famous would never be found in _this_ bar. To get away from paparazzi and photographers and etc. All that junk wouldn't even go near this place. Want to know why? Because it's one of the most feared places. The Sabathar in Seoul, Korea. It's an English pub. And it's filled with people who know lots of languages, like me.

As I came into the bar, I sat down on a separate table. I ordered a whiskey and noticed there was a stage, complete with a piano and a microphone. I eyed it carefully, before accepting the glass that the maid handed me. She examined me before leaving and going to the bar owner. It seemed like as though she found out my true identity but it didn't matter, since this was a mystery bar. Everyone around me was either speaking in Korean and English. Korean was my third language, after English and then finally Japanese. I knew few songs in Korean, but they still attracted many fan girls who I despised. I headed to the bartender, as he cleaned the glasses after another with a rag. A brown haired lady sat on one of the comfortable bar stools, gazing at the almost vacant bar, with around 18 people left. She wore a spaghetti black dress, slits by her thighs. Her hair was down to reach her mid-back and her eyes were narrowed, peering over her shoulder to glance at me. They were a bright shade of amber, endless pits of orange and brown color.

I told the bartender what I wanted and he nodded, indicating to the stand. I walked up, feeling everyone in the bar's eyes on me. They sent shivers down my spine as I picked up the microphone. I tapped it before nodding to the bartender. I knew this wasn't a song I made up, but it seemed to be stuck in my head all day. It was my third language, Korean, but yet I seemed confident in singing it here in this bar, for some reason.

_Mianhae ijeul soo obso han gyowoolboda do chan ibyuhreul joon nol  
Bal kkeutmajo oroboryuhso nal ddonan goseso nol gidarineun gol _

Slowly, in front of my eyes, couples went out to the cleared patch in front of the stage and began waltzing. As the bar filled up, the dance-floor began more crowded, with many love pairs and husband and wives.

_Saranghandago bootjaba bwado nareul ddonadon ojetbambooto  
Nowa ginagin jinan shigani machi dwegamgin ildeuri dweborin gonjin baby_

_Salgo shiposo salgo shiposo salgo shiposo ijeuryo haesso  
Nae giok soge salji mothage soom swil soo obge noreul moododo  
Amurohji anheun chok wootgo inneun nol hanado miwo mot hago  
Gogae soogyo soomjookyo heuneukkyo I just wanna be your man_

_Giokhae nae bangi animyuhn cham gopi manhaso jamdeulji mothan no  
Jami dol ggaen doo nooneul ddeul ddaen insaboda monjo ipmatchumhaeddon gol _

_Gaji mallago magaso bwado amuron maldo hajido anhgo  
Naega miwoonji mooseun iyoonji naege han madi marobshi gaya haenneunji baby _

The lady at the bar was now smiling at me. Her perfect shiny teeth were glimmering in the dimness of the bar and her hair was now placed on one side of her shoulder. _  
_  
_Salgo shiposo salgo shiposo salgo shiposo ijeuryo haesso  
Nae giok soge salji mothage soom swil soo obge noreul moododo  
Amurohji anheun chok wootgo inneun nol hanado miwo mot hago  
Gogae soogyo soomjookyo heuneukkyo I just wanna be your man_

_Noreul bonaego ne sajindeureul ggonaeda nae soneuro ddorojin pyuhnji han jang  
Nareul doogo nol gwerophin haneullo ije gaya handago  
Naege mianhadan maldo gonnel shigan obdago _

_Noonmoori naso noonmoori naso noonmoori naso woolgo marasso   
Noui pyuhnjie noui ireume gogael moodeun chae wooroboryuhsso  
No animyuhn nugudo sarang mot haneun naraneun namjainigga  
Ije geuman nol ddara ddonaga nega inneun goseuro_

Once I had finished, the audience roared. There were more than 30 people squashed on the dance-floor, all of them dancing. I smiled and went back down to my seat, to have the lady at the bar come down. She was holding a martini glass and it was still full. She sat on the opposite chair and smiled again, showing her pearly teeth.

"Nice song." She said in Korean. I could tell she too spoke many languages.

"Comfortable in Japanese?" I asked back. She instantly switched back to my main tongue.

"So, you sing much?" She asked, staring at the crowd who were now dancing to a piano ballad. I saw the longing in her eyes and stood up, taking her hand. I led her to the dance floor and began dancing. She seemed new to it, but her moves were perfect. She blushed once I wound my arm around her waist and spun her around. The song had finished, she was still in my arms. Her skin was as white as powder and her eyes were now dimmed. I was close to moving forward, but her cell phone began ringing. I took my arms off her and waited patiently. Once she had finished she said.

"I'm sorry, but I need to go. Good bye." She left, her dress swaying along with her. I reached out to say something but something was caught in my throat. I longed for her touch again and the look of her smile, but I know I would never see her again.

That night, was a restless one. Her face haunted my dream as I followed her as she ran down a mysterious hallway. Her unbound hair stroked against my cheek, making my desire for her grow. I woke up, her face beading with sweat. My alarm clock read 3.43am. Still too early for me to head to the airport. I was leaving Seoul soon, back to Tokyo. I slept for another hour or so before leaving the hotel. I left on the local bus, my face disguised just like yesterday, with a pair of sunglasses and a low hat. Everyone avoided me, thinking I was a druggie or something, but I took no notice of them.

I arrived at the airport, ignored by everyone around me. But once I entered through the revolving doors, screams broke out.

"OH MY GOD! IT'S NEJIIIIIIII!!!!! FROM MIDNIGHT EYES!!" I screamed. Girls started crowding around. One even pulled some of my hair. I yelped, feeling the lock break. I was pinched, kissed and hugged by _hordes_ of fangirls. One of my most hated things in this Earth. But, everything seemed to stop when someone broke through the crowd. It was another brown haired lady. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun with short bangs framing her face. She wore those Gucci sunglasses which made her look _hot_. Her face was straight and un-wrinkled, but it was stern. She wore a simple business suit with a grey skirt. Her eyes inspected me carefully. The crowd was silent, watching her every move like a pack of hawks.

Then, unexpectedly, she kissed me. On the lips. In front of everyone. I didn't know her. Nor did I think she knew me. But the girls screamed. In a flash, I was gone. Something firm was on my wrist. It was the girl's hand. She was dragging me away from the scene. She looked no older than me, but she managed to do that in front of nearly half the population of my fangirls? We approached the coffee shop which was on the second level. She threw me into a seat and took the first hint of conversation.

"Watch out next time." I gaped at her. Look who was talking. She sat down on the opposite chair and ordered two lattes. I gratefully accepted, pulling my sunglasses higher and my hat lower.

"Thanks." I said shortly. I was no woman talker. Last night was probably the first time I talked to a girl my age for six months. It was just, Neji go there to do this, Neji go there and do that from my manager, a bossy 50-year-old.

My eyes seemed to trail down to her chest. It was _huge._ She slapped me across the head. "Don't think dirty thoughts." I rubbed it, pulling a frown. It was as though she was reading my mind. Was she?

"What's your profession?" I asked. She nodded her head towards the back of me and I stared at the direction. A book store. Someone as hot as her worked in a _bookstore?_

"Shop-keeper?" I suggested, shrugging my shoulders. She shrugged back, staring into the depths of her mug. She didn't seem to be the talkative type. The steam fogged in her sunglasses and she took them off, slipping them into her pocket. Her eyes were the great shade of hazel and a mixture of green. They were certainly unique but a voice came over the PA.

"Flight to Tokyo is now checking tickets. Please form over at gate 7 to check. Thank you." I put my cup down and threw down my remaining Korean won. I didn't even have enough to pay for a lousy cup of coffee.

"Thanks." I repeated and she nodded at me before standing up herself. She put down 10,000 won. I stared at her in amazement while she took her bag which she seemed to carry along with her magically. She went over to the bookshop and greeted the shop assistant with kindness. It seemed like as though she had put on a great façade with me but now, it simply vanished. I looked at the time on my watch and sped.

Finally. I'm going back home. To see my cousins Hinata and Hanabi. And to see my band again, with the Uchiha, Naruto and Shikamaru. They were my best friends ever since high school and together we formed a band. I yawned widely. First class was _great_. I sat back and started watching the movie that was shown. Nothing interesting to me. But meh, better than nothing. As I finally started to relax, a lady passed me. She wore a short jean mini shirt complete with a pink spaghetti top. Her hair was long and almost reached her thighs. A black choker was around her neck as well as a golden locket. Her hair had purple and pink highlights in it as well as glitter and other insane things, like beads and jewels that were carefully braided in. She smiled at me before going into the bathroom. As I lay back again, the lady at the bar came into my mind. As well as the bookstore lady. Next, came the girl. Why did it seem like as though I met only one person throughout this whole time? Maybe it was me. I slept silently, careful not to disturb the people around me.

--

"Great job guys! I'm proud of you!" Tsunade praised our performance as we came off stage. The black shirt was really stuck to me. My sweat was sticking to me like hell. I peeled it off, showing my muscular chest. Tsunade left to take care of the next group going on stage. It's been a week ever since my trip back from Seoul and everything's been going smoothly, if you don't include my restless dreams of the three women. Naruto threw me an ice cold water bottle and I drank it down greedily. Nara Shikamaru looked at me suspiciously before asking.

"Neji, are you alright man? I've heard you mumbling in your sleep for the last week." I turned red and directed my attention to the next group. Four girls were singing but there was one that stood out to me. It was the cool, calm and collected voice from the Sabathar. That woman. Could it really be true… that she was here? I poked my head on stage and my heart fell. It was not her. It was a group full of girls. The main singer had light brown hair with blue extensions. Her ears were pierced with silver studs and rings and her eyes were a bright blue color. A punk group. I rolled my eyes and sat down again. But that voice in my head kept going back to the group. It wasn't punk, but a calming song, that soothed me as well as almost sent to sleep, something I longed for ages.

Once they had finished, the audience roared. Males wolf-whistled which made me jealous. Wait, what was I jealous for? They came to our area. A girl with pink hair came and sat on Sasuke's lap.

"Neji, meet the Uchiha's new girlfriend." Naruto said, jabbing a finger at the couple who were now French-kissing. I was tempted to puke but the head singer came up to me, trailing a finger across my bare shoulders. I felt a shiver climb up my spine. She came on the other side and smiled cheekily at me before leaving. Her swaying butt entranced me. SNAP! I almost felt that slap the book keeper gave me. Instead, it was only Naruto who had crushed an empty bottle. Shikamaru chuckled while Sasuke said goodbye to his new girlfriend.

"Wow Neji, seems like as though you've got a new addiction." The band laughed at me while I glared at every one of them.

That night, I couldn't sleep. Now four brunettes lingered in my mind. I couldn't take it. I jumped onto my computer and headed to internet. I searched desperately. Until, I stopped at an article that caught my eye.

_Tenten_

I read further.

_Tenten is a successful Japanese, Korean and English singer. She sometimes solos and goes in with her band, Fading Petals. _

I continued, until finally, I ran out of the house, dressed in my clothes. I picked a cab. Those words ran through my mind.

_Tenten is known for disguising in other countries. She has dressed up in sexual clothing as well as dignified if it could keep her away from fan-boys. _

_She has written a book on everything that she does, as an autobiography named 'Face of a Masquerade'. Tenten also sponsors the Sabathar also known as the 'Deception Pit' which is located in Seoul, Korea. She occasionally heads there to check on the budget and the well-being of her old father's bar. _

I frantically knocked on Tsunade's door, when she answered it with exhaustion.

"Eh? Neji? If you're asking for a band rehearsal, you'll need to get one next week." I cut in between her words.

"Tsunade! I need that Tenten's girl's address! NOW!" I demanded. She saw the urgency plastered in my face and threw a phone book at me.

"Here! REMEMBER TO RETURN IT TO ME!" She slammed the door in my face. I entered my car and searched through the names. I found it. I sped there, not caring if I got a ticket or if a policeman got me. I need to let this out. As I arrived, I barged in through the protected gates. I rapped on the door and waited. As I stood there, I fidgeted, my impatience getting the best of me. She answered, her hair let down. It was perfectly brown, the same length as the one in the Sabathar. Her eyes were the normal shade of hazel and her face was set out straight and un-wrinkled, her chest _huge_ like at the airport. She slammed her into the wall and planted a kiss on her face. Her face was of surprise and confusion, but that ended when she saw my face. It turned into mischievousness and playful. She began drawing circles on my chest.

"So… you found out huh?" I gulped and neared her. Our noses were close to touching and the gap between us was slowly getting smaller.

"Yeah. You don't know how surprised I was." My lips crushed hers.

_Tenten is also from a long line of gypsies that are related to playing with puppets. They closely resembled something like voodoo. They can make anything happen by muddling with their marionettes. _

--

Neji sat bare-naked in Tenten's room. She lay in his arms, asleep. Her breathing was light and soft. He rolled over, looking at the doll she had made of him. The little marionette sat motionless, until he thought it had winked at him. He blinked feverously before settling down.

--

**2 years later…**

I jumped on the computer and typed in the words, 'Tenten.'

Google instantly came up with the page. I scrolled down until I came onto the new piece of information added.

_Tenten is now married to Lord Amuritsu, the son of the mayor of Okinawa. She was known to have a secret relationship with superstar and hunk Hyuuga Neji, but reports were denied by both. _

I smirked sadly, remembering the situation between us…

"_I'm sorry Neji, but I'm already betrothed…" I stared incredulously at her before she went to leave. I almost had something stuck in my throat again but I managed to overcome it. _

"_But…why? I thought we were meant to be together...why are you leaving now?!" My heart was breaking. I couldn't stand the pain. She smiled weakly at me before shutting the door and whispering the words. _

"_Because I was just toying the puppet strings Neji. I know if I didn't do that, we wouldn't have been together anyway."_

The wedding photo that was posted on the page… she looked beautiful…like always. Her shining face and gleaming eyes. But in them, I could see regret and pain. Just like mine. All I ever sung these days were the ones I sang to her. The song I first sang to her unconsciously. Controlled and played with. My heart hurt, because she played me. Played with that stupid marionette. She had given it to me, as a present, but now it lay in the bin as I attempted to forget her. I dug it out and held in it my hands. The stitching was perfect. My face seemed perfect. Everything she did was perfect. She was playing the strings of fate on me. And I hated that.

--

Tenten sat in her new luxurious room. Her bed was a king-sized and her new husband had gone off to a meeting. She looked down at the sewing kit her mother had given her. The kit, to play god. The kit to make miracles and nightmares happen. She picked up the original doll of Neji and held it tightly in her hands. She took out the sewing needle and began making something else. Something, entirely different.

--

I walked down the streets, uncovered. I didn't care if people recognized me. As I sat down in a coffee shop, I ordered a latte and the waitress answered. She had long brown hair which was tied in a ponytail. Short bangs framed her face and her chest was _huge_. My eyes widened at the sight. She sighed and placed a hand on her hip.

"Look, if you're looking for a pornography store, I'm sure there's one two blocks away." I turned red and gazed into her eyes carefully. They were hazel and the green shone out more than the brown. She blinked back at me before heading to the counter to obtain the glass.

On my way back, I took the bus. It was turning dark and the moon was shining so bright no lights were needed along the sidewalk. As it stopped at the last stop, the girl from the coffee shop came in. The bus was crowded and she managed to squeeze in the aisle. She wore pain beige cargos and a halter top, complete with a side bag. Her sunglasses were the brand of Gucci. How familiar they seemed to me now.

"Hey! You!" I called her over and she managed to survive the journey by sitting beside me. Her face turned red once she knew who I was.

"What's your name?" I asked casually. The girls around stared anxiously at me and her.

"Korimi." She answered. Her eyes were directed to the front and her blush was turning redder by each second.

As days passed, I continued going on the bus. I continuously met her and began knowing her more. Soon, I found out I was in love again.

--

Tenten bit her tongue as she fiddled with the new doll. It was perfect. Like an exact replica of her. She attached the strings to it and began the set. Meet Neji at coffee bar, go back. She repeated this everyday until she forced the male marionette to go with the car. Then finally, the last act.

--

**2 years later…**

Neji slipped the ring on her finger. At last. Korimi smiled at him as he walked down the aisle with his new wife. The brown haired lady waved at the passerby-ers as they drove off in a new car. Neji smirked as his wife's cheeks turned red.

"Tenten, relax." She beamed at him before clinging to his arm.

"Thank my skills, Neji-kun." She took out last week's newspaper from the back and looked at the headlines.

_Mayor Amuritsu reveals private marriage to coffee shop waitress Korimi. _

_Mayor Amuritsu, the mayor of Okinawa, has finally revealed the secret relationship he has been hiding. He has been secretly meeting a 23-year-old female, who is four years younger than him, at the local coffee shop. He has also revealed he and his wife, Tenten had divorced two months ago, the information restricted only to family and friends. _  
She opened up the second page and saw the photos. Of her and Neji, in public, kissing.

_Tenten finally exposes true relationship with singer Neji.  
_

_Tenten has now come back into the spotlight, this time, with Hyuuga Neji by her side. They have revealed their connections. Both became friends four years ago and now have rekindled the fire. _

She smiled, knowing her ex-husband was now always going to be happy.

_"Tenten... I'm sorry..." Amuritsu fell to the floor. He sobbed clutching his wife's silk nightgown. Surprise took over both of them as she knelt down to his level. _

_"Amuritsu, what's wrong?" Teras streaked down his cheeks as he managed to choke it out. _

_"I've been... unfaithful." Tenten's hazel eyes widened. Her voice turned hushed. _

_"Who is it?" He gagged out another line. _

_"A girl... from the coffee shop. Her name is Korimi." Tenten froze. She didn't make this happen. No, not with her puppets. All she had been doing was making her and Neji meet, to find a friendship in each other. But it seems, like as though it had back-flipped. She smiled in her mind before asking. _

_"Would...you like to be with her?" Amuritsu's blue eyes lit up. She smiled warmly at him before briefly discussing her past, and her skills._

Now, look where she was. With the person she'll only love in the world. She yawned sleepily and lay on her husband's arm. _  
_

_Seems like toying with the puppet strings are fun after all._

* * *

END 

I hope you enjoyed this story as I did typing it for you!

The song I used was 'Salgo Shiposo' by Se7en. I love that song.

A/N: This Tenten's article doesn't include that crap if you type it into Google. Just to reassure you… if you try it out.

I promise Endless Path, the sequel to Cherished will come out SOON!

Love, _JunsuiFushichou_


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